At the Hands of the King
by NukeMyWaffle
Summary: There is a killer on the loose who has victims of all kinds from all over Japan. He has yet to leave anything more than heartless corpses in his wake. However, someone will evade the Heartless King and he will not be pleased...
1. Why

This is going to be dark and twisted for a while but it shouldn't last, hopefully.

May you enjoy this.

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 1:**

**"Why?"**

**-**

_"…This is just in—a pair of young women was reported missing tonight, a native of Yokohama and the other from Tokyo, bringing the total of missing people to 13 in the last 18 days. Unfortunately, 5 of those missing 13 were recovered as lifeless bodies missing their hearts, like all the others. It is feared that these poor ladies have fallen into the hands of the Heartless King. While the Great Detective L has stopped looking for Kira, who has seemed to have fallen silent, it is on the lips of everyone now involved with this case that L take up this cause and search for this madman before anymore lives are lost. So far, the Heartless King stands firm at 37 confirmed kills…"_

The voice of the news anchor cut through the chemical fog of her brain, bringing her around enough to feel the dull ache in her cold hands over her head and in her chilled feet. She was stiff, sore and cold from being down here for so long. She could still feel the injection site in her arm, the faint ache of the metal needle that had gone to the bone. She was so out of it that a part of her was surprised that she was still conscious, still registering her surroundings.

The girl to her right was gone, so was the man two spots down to her left. She could hear the faint moaning of the others still in the room and the occasional clink of chain from movement. The smells of blood, sweat, mildew, chemicals and death hung in the air like some disgusting perfume. The walls, ceiling and floor was cold concrete and they had to be underground, in some place remote if no one could hear the screams of the new arrivals carry through the air ducts and vents.

The electric lights overhead were old, shedding a more yellowish light on the room. The chair in front of the television was empty, mercifully. She wasn't sure she could stand another round of drugs, now that she was coming down enough to see colors this time and not just shapeless blobs.

In a corner, there was sobbing and pleading but she was too out of it to make out what they were saying. Only the tone registered, only the tone. They were all grouped together, far from the rest of them chained along the walls, near the glass jars she had heard move around once. Someone was singing a little kid's song under their breath, apparently more conscious than she was….no, it was merely drugged rambling. It was the same as last time.

"No! No!" A female voice shrieked at the top of her lungs, the sounds of someone struggling as someone else, someone _heavy_ walked down the concrete stairs with thudding booted feet. "Let me go, you son of a bitch! You fucking asshole! You had better let me go or I'll kick your ass!"

She vaguely remembered everyone brought in after her fighting back like that woman was doing. She could see the smudgy outfit that new arrival was wearing and it _clearly_ wasn't something a _real_ fighter would wear on the streets these days. This woman was all talk and apparently hadn't been the same kind of threat she, herself, had been so she wasn't drugged as soon as he pounced.

She heard the woman fight, even as he put this arrival in the shakles, taking the place of the man that had left. The woman soon fell silent with a drugged moan. She lifted her head the best she could to look at the smudgy mass of her captor. He was rising from kneeling at the new chick's feet and he was headed back upstairs, where a distant female voice was pleading for freedom.

The next woman was pleading pathetically, sobbing hysterically as if her tears would stir some compassion in his withered heart. She heard him cross the room and put the new woman in shackles in a distant corner to her right. This woman, too, fell silent from whatever cocktail he had injected them all with.

As he stood and pulled back from the other woman, he stalked heavily towards his chair in front of the television. Seeing him come back and sit down with a heavy creak of wood stirred that ever present question that always mucked about in her brain while she was under. She blinked sluggishly, licked her cracked and dried lips and spoke the unbidden words that were _dying_ to be said.

"…Why…?"

Her slightly rhaspy, breathy voice got the man's attention from the TV. She heard the creak of his chair as he got to his feet. She heard him walk over to her and she saw him crouch next to her knees. With him so close and the drugs wearing off, she could see a faint smudge around his person. She could feel it radiating off of him like his body heat and it was a _different_ kind of cold, mingling with malice and darkness. And it only got more defined as he braced himself with a hand on the concrete wall above her head and him leaning closer to her.

"What did you say?" His breath smelled like fading mint tooth paste and he had bathed within the last 12 hours, the scent of his bargin soap still clinging to his skin. She and senior residents of this chamber couldn't say the same, even if he _did_ take them to go the bathroom at least twice during the day and once at night.

"…Why…?" She repeated, her voice softer now that he was closer.

"_Why_?" He repeated like he had never even _considered_ having a reason before, a reason for all of this. "Does it matter?"

She licked her lips again but her mouth was dry so it was mainly a reflex. "…Yes…"

"What makes you so different from the others that you can become lucid after roughly 6 hours while everyone else is out for at least 12, hm?" He growled softly.

"…I…don't….know…." She admitted, trying to focus on his face but only getting the smudge around him that wasa actually _all_ around him. "…Why…do….you…do…this…?"

He was silent for a time. She could feel his slithering, grimy gaze travel up and down her body. Out of this set and aside from the 2 new ones, she was the less damaged. For some reason, he didn't derive enough satisfaction from hurting her, since she never screamed, never cried and never fought back. In turn, he never went much farther than cutting her up a few times before getting bored and moving on to someone else who _did_ make sounds for him.

"…Do…you…just….get…off…on…it….?" She asked, feeling his body shift faintly.

"I'm looking for someone, someone I once devoted my life to serving. He abandoned me, never once asked for my name or even looked at me but I had been loyal, been the perfect agent of his will." He told her in a low voice, his breath whafting in her face with every word. "He was strong, so strong and never let _anything_ stop him. He could be anyone of you and I will find him because I'm not going to stop until I do find him. He needs me, whether he knows it or not. I'm the only reason his life _ever_ ran smoothly like it did and I will earn his recognition for my efforts to find him."

"…Do….you….mean…Kira….?" If he did, then he was in for a _rude_ awakening. Kira wasn't going to come back. There were steps, progitives made to _never_ let Kira come back.

"No, I don't mean Kira. I mean the one who started all of this, the one who could boggle this 'L' bastard_ and_ his shit-eating kindergarten class." He growled darkly, feeling hatred for L and devotion to this other person. "When I find him, he will be so grateful that he will _never_ abandon me again. I know what happened last time. That old faggot told him lies about me, to make him get rid of me but with my diligence, he will see that _I_ was the devoted agent of his will and that old faggot was the con man."

He pushed away with a grunt and went back to his chair. He would sit there and watch that same channel, that same _news_ channel. He was unpredictable, sometimes leaving them alone for days or killing one after another, like he did to those five. His selection was always random. Sometimes it was the older ones and sometimes it was the new ones, it didn't make any difference to him.

She felt a relapse of the drug pull her back under. She was tired, worn out from forcing herself to talk when she knew she wasn't strong enough. She just closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, the drugs helping her along the way.

* * *

Uh-oh....

Well, uh, until next time.

Plz read and review.


	2. Distance

Ah, chappie 2!

Reviews:

**plutomoon2:** Sorry, not telling yet!

**Harpygirl91:** Tis interesting, isn't it? I was looking through some old stories and decided to try a different approach than what I had written.

**Dark Queen Helba:** Really? I never noticed that. Hm. Well, I had to rework the name again and again but by then, I was beating myself with my special edition KH2 manual folder and it was like "Eureka! I got it!" An' boy, did I feel like a such an idiot....

**Audra Vaikas:** Yes, tis the point of opening chappies!

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 2:**

**"Distance"**

**-**

She wasn't sure how long she had been sleeping but it was that blood curtling _scream_ that had woken her up. Her mind was a little more clear now, everything not as smudged as before. Apparently, he had thought she didn't need the next dose and she wished he _had_ drugged her again.

She could hear the screams bouncing off the concrete walls, the squishing and squelching of his work of cutting out the heart through the rib cage. She could hear each one snap and she was disgusted as well as shocked the current victim hadn't passed out from the pain yet. If she had anything in her stomach, she would have surely lost it.

"…S-stop it!" She managed to scream, cutting through the other volume. She heard him stop and pull his hands back, the screams of agony melting to moans of pain.

"Quiet, bitch!" He backhanded her far harder than he needed to, jerking her to the side. She would have fallen over had her chains not kept her in place. She could feel the hot blood cooling and the fragments of thicker clumps sticking to her cheek, the reek of blood making her empty stomach churn.

He went back to work, the screams echoing off the walls again. She could see he had put his back to her on purpose, like he was trying to ignore her. Looking around, she realized there were less people than before—_far_ less, meaning she had been out longer than she had thought.

A faint tickle of a breeze got her attention and she looked at the staircase. There was a dim light shining on the darkened stairs, meaning he had left the doors or whatever open. And where there was a breeze and light meant there was an exit and an exit meant freedom.

If she could just slip her hand free from her manicle, making as little noise as possible…

She gasped softly, her movements and relief overshadowed by the screaming and his vile work. She kept her eyes on her captor's back as she pulled/slipped her hand free of its bond and leaned forward to angle her feet to slip them out of their chains as well. It was a little harder to do but she managed to get both of her feet free. She knew she'd be light headed and disoriented as soon as she stood up if she moved too fast. She steadied herself against the wall and slowly and as quietly as possible, she used the wall to get to her feet, allowing herself to get used to the difference in each elevation.

Once she got to her full height without a problem, she silently moved for towards the stairs, keeping an eye on the man. She moved passed him without getting his attention and managed to get to the stairs before he looked up.

"What th—you fucking whore!" He spat and her heart leapt into the throat. She didn't look back, only bolting up the concrete stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.

Instead of coming out into a forest, she found herself in the deepest section of a back alley. She didn't heistate to run towards the sounds of the street, knowing that he was right behind her. And she wasn't about to stop. She was barefoot and her clothes were dirty, bloody and had seen better days but none of that mattered.

All mattered was putting as _much_ distance between the two of them as was possible.

* * *

Sweet, sweet freedom but the asshole's on her tail!

I wonder if she'll manage to get away....

Plz, read and review!


	3. Safe

Chapter 3 has been long overdue, I know. Sososososo sorry! We're rearranging the house so things are hellish and I've been battling depression and writer's block.

However, I do have other chapters aside from this one typed up so I should have more up to make up for the spazzy space, 'kay?

Reviews:

**Harpygirl 91:** Hahaha! Don't forget to load it this time, Harpy-chan! Lol!

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 3:**

**"Safe"**

**-**

_**BANG-BANG-BANG**_

Teru Mikami woke with a start, nearly falling out of bed in the process. Someone was relentlessly pounding on his apartment door, like it was a life or death situation but if it was some drunk bastard or someone looking for directions, he was going to have them arrested—innocent or not.

Mikami threw his covers aside and angrily stalked to the door. Unlocking his door and unhooking the chain, Mikami jerked open his door to give the idiot of piece of his mind but instead, caught the body of a panicky teenaged girl who stumbled into his apartment. The way she was clinging to him, trying to back away from the door, made Mikami realize that she was being _pursued_.

Not even caring if her pursuer was even on the same floor, Mikami shut his door and quickly secured it, the girl not letting him go. His apartment was dark, since he knew it well enough to walk it blindfolded and he hadn't turned any lights on but he somehow managed to trip and fall backwards. Mikami caught himself with on hand and managed to soften his landing onto the carpet but the girl let out a small, soft gasp of panic and drew her feet away from the door.

Mikami understood the movement. It meant her predator was on his floor and she was trying to hide. He didn't think twice before scooping her up and dodging behind the tall half wall that separated his kitchen from his living room. He held the girl protectively against him, his attention on the heavy foot steps on the carpet in the hall. A shadow passed his door, came back to try the door and then continued on its way.

Mikami didn't dare move from their hiding place, not with such a frightened girl clinging to him like he was her life line. He gently stroked her greasy, stringy hair to keep her calm and quiet as he listened for those footsteps to return. He waited 15 minutes, holding the rescued girl close and keeping her calm. When he was _sure_ that shadow wouldn't return, he turned his attention to the quaking teenager in his arms.

"It's all right now. You're in a safe place. I won't let them hurt you." Mikami reassured, cradling her in his arms like he would with any scared child. He could feel her heart still hammering away in her chest and the panicked breathing she was trying to wrangle under control. She was fine until Mikami tried to touch her face. She gave a funny sort of soft sigh before going completely lax in his arms.

It took him a moment to realize she had _fainted_.

That…that was…that was good, Mikami guessed. She probably had been really stressed out and worn out from running as hard and fast as she could from whoever had been chasing her. Her adrenaline had to have flooded her veins in her flight and now that she was safe, it had abandoned her, having her faint in his arms. And now, he had her in his arm with her still clinging to him like she was afraid she would be taken away in her sleep.

Mikami was going to lay her down on either the couch or in his bed but decided to stay put after moving and getting her heart to speed up. She was out cold but her body was still in high gear. He wasn't sure how that worked but her body was still on high alert. It didn't matter that he was going to be stiff and a bit sore tomorrow.

All that mattered was that his new guest was safe.

* * *

Teru Mikami has made his debute!!!!!

I mean, what's a world without Teru-chan, ne?

Anyway, Read and Review plz!


	4. Help

Chapter 4! Yay! An' so...overdue.....yeah, I know--Bad Nuu-chan--no cookie!

Battling writer's block and low memory on computer, even with everything saved on my flash drive. I've got a few chapters on hand so I should be able to update again real soon.

Reviews:

**Harpygirl91:** (looks up at ceiling) Uh, yeah...you minght want to run--fast.

**cloverski9114:** I'm glad you like it and I'm doing the best I can. Lack of inspiration at my end.

**Dark Queen Helba:** Now, I didn't say it was Hotaru. Jumping to conclusions like that will influence others and ruin it for everyone else, Silly Person. And Mikami's from Death Note. He's the prosecuting Attorney for Kyoto.

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 4:**

**"Help"**

**-**

It had been a long time since she had woken up somewhere warm and soft. It didn't smell like blood or chemicals or sweat or death or anything like that. It smelled nice, like detergent and nice smelling cleaners. It had to be what woke her up…or maybe it was that that there was no chains moving or the moaning of other prisoners or the sound of the TV so close to where she was chained.

"…not coming in today. No, I'm not sick. Something came up and it's best if I don't come in today." A smooth male voice replied, the sound moving and fluctuating like the owner was pacing. "No, no. It's nothing like that. It's just a mental health day. No, don't worry. I'm fine, just a little…yeah, I suppose that I have been overworking myself again. Yeah, I'll kick back but if you need anything, I've got my laptop with me and I can give you anything you need on my cases. Oh, and if anything comes in concerning the ones I'm…yes, thank you. I will. Have a nice day. Of course, good bye."

There was a heavy sigh, paper rustling and buttons beeping. The news was on low in the background, in the next room.

"…_you're in a safe place…I won't let them hurt you…"_

That man…he had saved her, protected her…he even put her in his bed. She slipped out of the bed and padded towards the door that was only partically closed. She peeked through the crack at the young man who own the apartment. He was holding a folded newspaper in on hand and a cell phone held to his ear in the other. She opened the door enough to leave the room.

"This is Teru Mikami, the prosecuting attorney in Kyoto. I would like every report of missing young women with black hair of the ages ranging from 15 to 20…that many, huh? What about those in relationship with the HK disappearences?" The man asked, setting the newspaper aside. "A description? Yes, about 5-foot-4, long black hair, naturally pale skin and between 14 and 17--"

"15." She said softly, getting him to turn around to face her. "I'm 15."

"Scratch that last part. She's 15 years old." He corrected with a relieved half smile…and then he looked puzzled. "None reported?" He turned his back on her. "What the _hell_ do you mean by 'none reported'?! I've got this young lady in my apar—no, I am _not_ lying! Who the _fuck_ do you think you're talking to, you paper-pushing dumbass?!"

Mikami let out a dark growl as he pulled his cell phone from his ear. "That goddamn…" He let out a heavy sigh. "I called _every_ police department in _every_ city these disappearences have taken place in and unfortunately, you're not from any of them."

"Um, thank you for, um, helping me last night." She replied, tucking her stringy hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry for disturbing you last night and for dragging you into this mess. I was so worried that…well, that he'd catch me again, that I wasn't really thinking. I mean, I was desperate to get away and…" She licked her lips. "You-you don't work with him, right? He's not coming back to, y'know, to take me back to chain me up again?"

"_No_." Mikami said firmly. "I'm--"

"Teru Mikami. I heard you on the phone." She admitted with a sheepish blush she wasn't sure he could see. "Am…am I really in Kyoto?"

"You are. Is that so hard to believe?" Mikami answered, setting his cell phone down on the back of his couch.

"Yeah, considering I'm from Tokyo." She stated with a heavy sigh. She ran her hand through her dirty hair then stopped. "But that makes sense…he would move us while we were drugged. The _room_ never changed but the _location_ had to. It's the only possible way he could have such a range of victims and never get caught…damn, that's who had me and I was…" She dropped to the carpet in shock. "…and I just _left_ them there…I just _left_ them behind with that _psycho_…my escape probably got them killed…I got them killed…they're probably dead and it's all my fault, isn't it?"

"What?" Mikami looked at her. "No—_no_, it's not your fault." He came over to her and knelt in front of her. He took her dirty and dried blood covered hands in his. "You're alive and _that_ in and of _itself_ is not something to begrudge. Now, let's get you cleaned up and tended to. I'll take you passed the police department so you can tell them what you know once I get you something to eat, all right?"

She sniffed once and nodded. It made Mikami release the light tension in his shoulders. He had seen the guilt that would eat away at a witness.

Mikami gently gripped her biceps. "All right, Kitten. Up on your feet so we can get you into the bathroom."

She was lighter than she appeared but after God-knew-how long she was missing, it was to be expected. She had been missing for a long time, judging by the filth she was covered in. Once she got cleaned up, he'd take her picture and send it to the police stations he had already called. He'd see if he'd final get someone to listen to him.

"Do…do you have any, um, en-envelopes?" She asked as Mikami steaded her on her feet.

"Planning on mailing a letter?" Mikami asked in return.

"N-no, but that would be a good idea." She smiled, shaking her head. "I've…it's, um, for evidence. I…I can't just wash all this off until I collect some of it. There-there has never been a survivor before…"

Mikami realized what she meant. She might have the very thing to catch the Heartless King on her person. She knew better than to just get clean. She had been properly trained by some form of investigative branch to put evidence before her need to get clean.

"I know someone who could of assistance." Mikami told her. "Let's get you into the bathroom and let me call him."

She nodded, trying to keep herself together. Mikami helped her into the bathroom and eased her onto the floor by the bath tub. She sat like a lady, her arms wrapped around herself. Mikami closed the door partially to give her some privacy, recognizing the way she was pulling towards herself. He went back the couch to pick up his phone and make that call.

He flipped open his phone, dialed that number and put it to his ear. Thankfully he didn't have to wait too long.

"_Teru, it's good to hear from you."_

"Uh, I've got a question for you. Has your class left Kyoto yet?"

"_Uh,no, not yet. We've got a couple days left. Why?"_

Mikami took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I hate to ask this of you while you're with yoru college class, but I _really_ need your help."

"_Sure, anything. What can I do to help?"_

"I know this is going to sound weird but how good are you at collecting evidence?" Mikami asked.

"_Evidence collection? What have you gotten yourself into, Teru?"_

"You've been watching the news." Mikami heard a muttered "the Heartless King" that was filled with disgust. "I have a survivor."

Mikami heard something heavy drop on the floor. _"A-a _survivor_?! Shit, Teru! Why didn't you say that in the first place, dammit?! I'll get everything and bring it over to your apartment!"_

"There's something else." Mikami told his friend. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to pick up a full change of clothes for a 15, 16-year-old girl."

"_No problem. It'll take me some time but I'll be there as soon as possible."_

"Thank you, Light."

* * *

Yup, Mikami knows Light. I know, had to put that in there and whether Light's Kira or not will have to be seen.

Anywayz.....please read and review!


	5. Assistance

Yes, yes--LONG overdue but I broke up with my boyfriend, totally cool with it and don't mind being single. Anyway....

**Dark Queen Helba:** Oh, I didn't mean to be mean! I was trying to be cutsie! Sorry!

....hot god-wannabe...?

Anyways....on with the show!

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 5:**

**"Assistance"**

**-**

"Sorry it took me so long." Light apologized, entering Mikami's apartment with a few loaded bags. "I think I might have embarrassed the hell out of Sayu when I called her for a little help."

"Your little sister will try to get you back, you know." Mikami pointed out as the brunette male set his bags down and took off his shoes and coat. "She's devious like that."

"Yeah, she is but she'll get over it by the time I get home." Light replied, easing the subject out of their way. "I've got everything I could to make an emergency evidence kit for a team of crime scene investigators. Where's the survivor?"

"In the bathroom. I had put her in my bed and I set aside the clothes I had worn when she had arrived at my apartment." Mikami informed his friend as Light picked up one of the bags. "She's blaming herself for not helping the others escape."

"Then she's going to hate today's news." Light said in a low voice, taking a folded up newspaper from the bag and handing it to Mikami. It was the afternoon edition. "3 more bodies were found without their hearts this morning along side the river, cast aside but posed with their chests facing the open air. Something tells me that he's just getting started."

"A total purge?" Mikami asked distractedly, reading the article the best he could without his glasses. "It would make sense, since he couldn't have the others believe they could escape as well. She was their hope and will now be their death sentence, if the media gets a hold of her before we can get her side of the story."

"Then we should get started, shouldn't we, Teru?" The other male inquired as he picked up another bag and Mikami picked up the last one. "Where should we set up?"

"Out here, it's the best option." Mikami answered, carrying his bag to the coffee table between his television and his couch. He set the bag down and began to unpack it, Light following suit. There were garbage bags for the big items like clothes and bedding, plastic baggies for the smaller stuff, envelopes, disposable combs, rubbing alcohol, swabs, cleansing pads, latex gloves and the like. And in a rolled up paper bag was a pair of loose legged black track pants, a boat neck, long torso, crop-sleeved white shirt and a navy blue pull over hoody with packages of bras, panties and socks. There was even a shoe box holding black running track shoes with white stripes.

"Wow, Light—you really came to my rescue." Mikami muttered as he set the bag of clothes and the shoe box aside.

"Don't mention it. It's the least I can do to help you and your young lady friend." Light dismissed good naturedly. He collected a few items, putting them back into one of the shopping bags. "We had best get started. She must want to get clean and waiting's not going to make it any easier for her."

Mikami knew Light knew his apartment like the back of his own hand but Light still followed Mikami to the bathroom. Knocking twice to be polite, Mikami gently pushed open the door.

"Kitten, this is Light Yagami, the friend I told you about." Mikami said, stepping into the bathroom. Light stepped into the girl's view and instantly had his breath taken away. It wasn't because she was grimy and looked like she had been living on the streets.

It was because despite all that, she was still _amazingly beautiful_. She sat like a lady, holding her own biceps with a graceful though defeated slump to her slender shoulders. Her long, delicate limbs were a compliment to the hourglass figure beneath her filthy clothes. Her long hair was draped down her back, though some of it fell down her shoulder front. Her dazzling eyes looked up at Light and Mikami through long stringy bangs.

"You-you don't work with _him_, do you?" She asked in a soft, somewhat trembling voice.

"No, of course not." Light reassured, coming to kneel close to her. She shied away a little, like she was still frightened. Light felt like gutting the son of a bitch known as the Heartless King as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "I'm here to help collect any evidence you have on you, all right? If I hurt you or do something you don't like, just let me know and I'll stop. Sound like a deal?"

"…yes." She mumbled, her shoulders hovering by her ears.

"All right. Let's start with getting photographs and then we'll move on to your clothes, hair and fingernails, okay?" Light didn't want to scare her more than she had been. He took his digital camera, with a fresh card inside, out of the bag and offered her a hand up. She shakily took it and got to her feet. She released her biceps to hold out her arms so Light could take the pictures properly. "We'll be quick and thorough so we can get everything we possibly can and then you can get clean, all right?"

She nodded before the flash went off, making her close her eyes. She turned a little after each picture, knowing what angles he would need without Light even saying anything. Light realized she had been properly taught what to do, properly trained on how evidence was gathered. He was glad that she knew what to do but felt terrible for having to put her through ths seemingly excruciatingly slow process.

Once all the pictures were taken, Light set aside his camera and took out a garbage bag. He opened it and held it open for her. She took of her clothes, putting each piece into the bag without having to be told. Light closed the bag, sealed the opening with duct tape, signed it and set it aside, picking up his camera again to take pictures of the damage her clothes had hidden. Light carefully moved her hair to get her back and found the most interesting scar. It looked like a fresh lash burn made from a whip set on fire but it was old, moving the way only very old scars could. Hopefully, it would help narrow down her identity in case the trauma made her forget who she was.

As promised, Light carefully combed through her hair as she sat curled up on the bathroom floor to keep herself decent. Her hair was so greasy and stringy that it made this step so easy. He sealed the envelope he had been catching the debris in, the comb tucked inside, and pinned her hair out of the way. Next he cleaned everything out from under her long nails, which had surprisingly survived their ordeal. And after sealing _that_ envelope, it was the pain-staking process of collecting the evidence from her skin.

She was trembling softly, pulling at Light's heart as he cleaned a section from the back of her hand and photographed it. He wanted to do nothing more than hold her and reassure her that everything was going to be all right, even if it was a lie. Light didn't want to lie to her but she needed comfort and sometimes that meant you had to lie to someone. However, lying wasn't going to make it any better, not with the Heartless King still in action.

Light had moved quickly and efficiently from each section of her skin he collected trace from. It had his hand cramping up and more of her skin exposed when he was finished. He was getting what looked like wet trace from the inside of her wrist when she swab came away dirty and _red_.

"What the hell…?" Light mumbled, looking at the swab. He put it in a baggy, sealed it, signed it and picked up a cleansing pad, wetting it with rubbing alcohol. He gently swabbed at the area around her wrist and got her tense faintly, making Light realize what it was. "Restraint damage…my God—Teru, she has _restraint damage_! Some of this is a few months old but there's _fresh_ damage as well."

Mikami moved closer, stopping at Light's back. "It's not rope or tape. Plastic cuffs or zip ties?"

"No, the pattern's too wide, too sharp. I'd have to say metal manacles." Light corrected, cleaning a wider a section.

"…he had us chained up…" She murmured, trying to stop her trembling. "…ankles and wrists…"

"This would be a _perfect_ time to have Kira back. He could kill the son of a bitch for us." Mikami muttered, getting Light to chuckle softly.

"It would be nice but then we wouldn't get any satisfaction for seeing the bastard hung." Light pointed out. "And you _do_ want to prosecute him, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah." Mikami nodded. "He's currently ranking up there with Hitler in my book." The rustle of papers made her look up at Mikami over Light's shoulder. "I'm just taking notes, making myself useful. It's going into evidence, like everything else."

"…okay…" She mumbled, looking away.

"We need exemplerary DNA." Light said, gently gripping her chin. She opened her mouth like a good girl and Light rubbed the swab against the side of her cheek. "That's very good. You've been paying attention to the TV crime shows, haven't you?"

"…had to do this before…" She softly corrected, confirming Light's suspicions. She _had_ been trained in evidence collection but from which investigative branch? The NPA? Prefectural police? Public Security? The private sector?

"We're almost done." Light promised. "Now, I know this is going to be embarrassing but I need you to answer me a question, all right?" She nodded. "He didn't assualt you in anyway, did he?"

"…no…" She shook her head. "…he…he didn't touch any of us like that…as far as I know…"

"She mentioned something about drugs earlier." Mikami told Light, getting the other male to sigh. "You're not going to have a choice, are you?"

"I'd call Kiyomi and have her help but she's a journalism major. We bring her into this and she'll make this poor girl her big break. We can't let that happen so I'll have to do it myself." Light sighed heavily, wearily as he reached into the bag. "Is there anyone from your office you can trust?"

"Are you kidding? The ADA's office has been arguing with Public Security over jurisdiction and _every_ intern's looking to score with this case." Mikami scoffed slightly. "I'd sooner call Takeda."

Light's shoulder's drooped a little. "I was afraid of that."

"…didn't make a sound…" She mumbled, curling up tighter. "…he'd get bored, move on…"

"What?" Mikami nearly whispered.

"…he was looking for someone…judging our reactions…now that I'm clear enough to think…" She answered, not raising her voice any higher than a mumble.

"And when you didn't react, he set you off to the side." Light concluded and she nodded, not looking up. "That could explain all the damage each of the victims has suffered. He's testing them, looking for someone via their responses and when one of his victims doesn't respond to torture…"

"They're a candidate for whoever he's looking for." Mikami finished. "That could throw the case wide open."

"…he doesn't like L…or Kira…" She added in a faint murmur. "…he's looking for someone better…"

"Someone _better_ than _L_?" Mikami repeated looking at Light but the gears had stopped turning in Light's head, coming to a dead stop. "Who would be _better_ than the World's Greatest Detective?"

"The _original_ that _L_ is modeled after." Light murmured. He snapped back to reality for a minute. "We've got everything we need from her for the moment, right?"

"…hair, blood and SA kit…" She mumbled, getting Light to look at her when she said the last one. "…you have to be sure…can't risk missing even a piece…"

"If you're sure?" Light asked, getting her to nod. "All right, then let's get this over with."

* * *

Oh, dear...something's up..

How will he handle it? ;)


	6. Assisstance, pt 2

Overdue, I know but I've been busy looking for work. So far, I've been less than successful but I'm hoping to change that! Wish me luck!

Reviews:

**Magic Cat:** "Kitten" is a term of fondness or endearment for a girl or a small child. It does NOT mean that just because one char is called that, that it's who it is, though that shows you've been paying attention which is good. And as for who the char is, I've already chosen it and happens to be naming them in this chap. However, I learned something while doing research for this story, blond/silver hair only gets darker but not THAT dark, when it gets greasy, dirty and stringy after several months. Unfortunately, it takes MUCH longer than the time line of this story.

Anyways, thanks for the reviews!

On with the show!!!!

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**-**

**Chapter 6:**

**"Assisstance, pt 2"**

**-**

After the _highly_ embarrassing evidence was collected, Light felt like he had taken advantage of the poor girl, even though he hadn't. He wanted to scald his brain because of this but he had to keep a level head and pay attention to what he was doing. It wouldn't do to accidentally do more damage to the poor girl, especially when he was pulling out a few strands of her hair while being careful not to rip it out of her head or break the strand. They would need the drug history to determine when exactly she had been taken and for how long she had been kept.

"Next we'll draw some blood and then we'll leave you to get cleaned up, okay?" Light asked, putting the hair he had collected into an envelope. He sealed it, signed it and set it with the rest of the evidence. He took a couple wrapped phials and a needle from his bag of tricks before tying a bandana tight around her bicep.

"Where did you get those?" Mikami asked as Light unwrapped the needle and a phial.

"Medical supply store. Oddly, they don't ask too many questions." Light answered, popping the phial into the needle's bay and put the needle into her arm. Her blood was darker than a normal person's but it wasn't unusual, Light learning of several cases like hers in his college classes.

Light unwrapped the second phial as the first filled and then popped the first out to replace it with the second. He wrapped a label on it, marked it then put it in a baggy. The second phial received the same treatment and once inside the baggy, Light sealed and signed it then set it aside to put in the freezer. He pulled the bandanna off her arm and the needle from her vein. He took the clips from her hair and carefully let her hair fall down around her section my section.

"We'll photograph your injuries when you're through, okay?" Light received another nod. "All right. Here, Teru—put these in your freezer, in the back. I'll get your clothes and your sheets."

Mikami took the offered blood. "As a warning, something could have fallen off of her when she was moving. I didn't take you along the paths I took her so nothing should be disturbed."

"Then I'll collect whatever else I can." Light said, putting all the unused stuff into one bag and what he could of the evidence in the other. He carried it all out of the bathroom, leaving her alone for the moment.

She pulled tighter into her ball and put her forehead against her knees, her eyes squeezed shut. She couldn't believe that she had left all those innocent people behind. She had probably signed their death certificates herself by not stopping the maniac when she had the chance but all she had been thinking was to escape. She _had_ escaped and hopefully she had the evidental key to catch the psycho before too many more had died because of her selfish actions.

"…I'm such a damn idiot…" She muttered. "…I could have saved them…I could have stopped him…"

"Don't beat yourself up, Kitten." Mikami said gently, making her look up at him. He set a tub of bath products and a change of lady's undergarments on the tub's edge. "As long as there's one survivor, we're going to bag this son of a bitch."

"…Hotaru…" She mumbled.

Mikami crouched by her, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Hotaru?"

"…my name is Hotaru…"

Mikami smiled gently at her. "Then by all means, _Hotaru_, do get cleaned up. I'll have something for you to eat when you come out."

Hotaru nodded, not meeting his eyes. She felt him lightly pat her on the head then get to his feet. Mikami left her alone, closing the door behind him to giver her privacy. She didn't want to be alone but he was right, she _needed_ to get clean and she wasn't going to get clean by sitting on the floor, feeling sorry for herself.

Hotaru picked up the tub of bath things and set it on a little counter next to the water fixtures. She turned on the hot water, feeling the instant bite on her flesh and added just enough cold to make it tolerable. Without even scrubbing, most of the grime was flowing blackish down the drain. She took a wash cloth from the tub and opened a bar of soap. She soaped up the cloth and started the hard scrubbing on her flesh. She was going to rub her porcelain skin raw if that meant getting clean.

Hell, Hotaru was going to strip it all off if it meant _forgetting_ what that bastard had done to her and all those innocent peole. He was looking for someone, big deal. It didn't mean that he could just abduct, imprison, torture and kill innocent people because of it. That was _not_ how you went about looking for people or a single person.

And Hotaru was going to make him regret ever formulating this foul search plan—even if it meant becoming _like_ the bastard to do it.

* * *

Uh-oh, are we seeing some Sasuke-ness in our Firefly?

Please Read and Review--and you get a cookie!


	7. Contact

I know, I know-overdue by a long shot. However, my computer was being...interesting and I couldn't get much to do what I wanted. So, here we go.

This is the introduction to ANOTHER character you should all be familiar with.

On with the display of insanity...

* * *

Sailor Moon/Shaman King/Death Note

Naruto/Bleach/Karas/InuYasha

**"At the Hands of the King"**

**Chapter 7:**

**"Contact"**

"May I ask _why_ you're calling Ryuzaki?" Mikami asked, whisking the beginnings of an omelet together in the kitchen.

"Because he has more experience in this area than I do." Light answered, leaning up against the back of the couch. He had _just_ finished stripping Mikami's bed, collecting the clothes from last night and tape lifting the areas their lone survivor had been in and walked in. He had put off the phone call long enough.

"And how do you think Hotaru's going to react to that?" Mikami questioned, getting Light's attention.

"Hotaru?" Light repeated.

"She told me her name before I came back out."

Light had to admit that was a plus on their side. She wasn't too traumatized to forget her own name, even if it was only her given. It would do for the moment.

"How was she doing when you left?" Light inquired.

"Survivor's guilt." Mikami replied.

"Ah." Light looked at his cell phone, half way through Ryuzaki's number. If he _did_ call Ryuzaki, what would happen to Hotaru? Would his unusual tactics break her and make the trauma worse? Or would he be able to coax out some information that Light and Mikami forgot to consider?

_**BZZZZZ**_

Light nearly dropped his cell phone out of surprise. He pressed "send" and put it to his ear. "Uh, hello? This is Light Yagami."

"_It's Ryuzaki."_

Damn. "You have ESP or something?"

"_Excuse me?"_ Ryuzaki asked in return.

"I was just about to call you." Light told him. "You've been following the Heartless King murders, right?"

"_Solving this case is proving to be a pain in the ass. It's proving more challenging than the Kira investigation."_ Ryuzaki replied. _"Why were you about to call me?"_

"Teru Mikami in Kyoto had a surprise visitor early this morning." Light informed the male on the other end.

"_And this concerns the HK murders or me, for that matter?"_ Ryuzaki half scoffed. _"It's not like I'm doing a background check on random women."_

"Even if she's a survivor?" The brunette asked with a half smirk. Ryuzaki went silent as Mikami looked at Light with a slight scowl.

"…_is she contained?"_ If Ryuzaki was there in person, Light would hit him for that.

"She _escaped_, idiot. She's cleaning up—and before you ask, we collected all the evidence we could _and_ she firmly insisted on it. She's getting cleaned up right now so we'll be able to take photographs of her injuries and other identifying markings." Light answered, feeling slightly annoyed. "What makes you think that she would have to be contained?"

"_35 percent chance of her being an accomplice."_

"You know, you're an idiot." Light sighed, leaning more on the back of Mikami's couch. "She was one of the people taken and she managed to escape. She's scared of this guy, Ryuzaki—and I mean, _scared_. She doesn't meet our eyes and she made sure we were thorough. She didn't let us chance anything."

Ryuzaki was silent for a few moments, possibly thinking it over. _"…if I send someone to pick her up, will you let her be taken out of your sight?"_

"Possibly but Teru's the one who she trusts the most out of us. I'm just his friend." Light responded. "I don't think he's let her out of his apartment to go to you, since he didn't leave me alone with her in the same room."

"_I see."_ Ryuzaki muttered. _"Then I suppose I have no other choice. I'll be there as soon as possible."_

Light looked at his cell phone, the conversation ending when Ryuzaki had hung up his cell phone. "You know, this is one of those times that I'd like to hit him so hard that he'd go through a wall."

"He assumed that he's welcome in my apartment." Mikami said, making it a statement. "If he hurts her, I'm going to make his life _Hell_."

"That won't happen, Teru." Light reassured. "I won't let him. You have my word."

"I _trust_ you." Mikami shot back. "It's _Ryuzaki _I'm not so cool with."

Light sighed softly, knowing Mikami had a reason to distrust the other man. Ryuzaki had made a _bad_ first impression and it had been surprising that Mikami managed to control himself and remained civil when Light knew Mikami wanted to break Ryuzaki's jaw.

"I don't want to see her suffer anymore than you do, Teru, but the fact is that I maybe good but we need someone better and Ryuzaki is better than I am." Light admitted, trying to have Mikami see reason. If it were possible, Light wouldn't have involved Ryuzaki but if he brought the other male in, Light could manage to keep a bit of control on how rough Ryuzaki got with his questioning. "Hotaru's best chance is to meet with Ryuzaki. He has a connection with L and L can get her the protection she needs from the Heartless King. This way, she'll be safe and L will be able to catch the Heartless King."

"I still don't like it." Mikami responded as he went back to mixing the omelet. "There's something wrong with Ryuzaki. Whether he's better or not, it doesn't matter. He just seems a bit _off_ to me."

_That's because the spaz is L._ Light thought, not telling Mikami. He had promised Ryuzaki that he wouldn't say anything but it was hard to keep secrets from Mikami. He and Light were practically brothers.

A clatter from the bathroom got both young men's attention instantly. A second clatter had Mikami set the bowl on the counter and Light drop his cell phone on the couch before they rushed to the bathroom. Mikami threw open the door with Light right behind him and both males saw Hotaru's back against the wall opposite the shower head, which was on the floor. There was a ninja kunai knife in the stool she had been sitting on and a masked head and shoulders sticking up out of the puddle of water and soap bubbles made the now stopped up drain. This masked head had its cold, beady eyes locked on Hotaru, who was keeping herself against the wall and decent at the same time and yet, she looked ready to strike, to react if necessary.

"Leaf is not welcome without an invitation from Mist." The masked head said, its words making the water bubble. "Invasion by one?"

Hotaru closed her eyes and sighed softly, her body growing a bit lax. "_Please_ don't do that."

The masked head's eyes looked a bit surprised. Its gaze flicked to red, angry wounds and the restraint damage that was now fully revealed by her interrupted bath. "Torture and containment…not done by Mist…Rain? Waterfall? No, doesn't matter. Leaf spy belong to Mist now."

"What the hell is going on?" Mikami snapped, getting the masked head's attention. Its beady eyes darkened and it rose enough that the muscle structure was clearly male.

_**FWEET**_

The masked head looked at Hotaru who had moved her left foot to the puddle, her toes touching the lip. His eyes widened when he saw the odd double clawed mark on her pale skin and then looked at her face.

"Water and Lighting, dumbass." Hotaru said, her soft voice cold and her eyes frigid. Her lips curved into a cruel smirk that made Mikami's blood run cold. "I was outside long enough for this."

Static filled the air and a pale blue charge raced over her skin, shooting down her leg in a visible wave and hitting the water her toes had dipped into. The electricity raced over the water and hit the masked head hard. Mikami and Light watched as the masked head's visible body seized up then dropped into the water, his eyes rolling to the back of his head before he disappeared. The drain suddenly unclogged and the kunai burst into water and joined with the escaping puddle.

Hotaru coughed, her hand flying to her mouth. "…I'm surprised he didn't realize that I was lying…" She coughed again, a thin line of blood slipping between her fingers. "…and my cousin wonders why I don't like going to the Mist…"

"Are you all right?" Mikami asked as Hotaru lowered her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth with the back.

"…I'll live…" Hotaru muttered, not meeting Mikami's eyes.

Light was looking from the drain to the stool to Hotaru, trying to figure out what was going on. "How did…where did that _guy_ come from?"

"…you wouldn't believe me if I told you…" Hotaru mumbled, looking at the blood smeared on her hand. She closed her eyes. "…I probably just started a war…my cousin's going to kill me…"

Mikami stepped into the bathroom and came to Hotaru's side. He helped her to her feet and righted the stool with his foot. It looked fine, except for where the kunai knife had dug into the treated wood.

"You should finish your bath. When you're done, I'll help you with your injuries." Mikami offered as he eased her down on the stool. "Take as long as you need, all right?"

Hotaru nodded, not looking up. Mikami shooed Light out of the doorway and closed the bathroom door behind him. Light followed him back to the kitchen, where the black haired male picked up the bowl and started getting the omelet ready again.

"Did you just _see_ what happened in your _bathroom_?" Light asked in a low hiss. "She just _electrocuted_ a man coming from a _puddle_ and you're just calmly whisking away at an omelet!"

"Yes, Light, I saw what happened in there. I also saw what it cost her. Whatever she used to get rid of that man, was whatever she was using to keep from coughing up blood. I think her lungs maybe damaged and they were coated in some kind of natural energy to keep the blood from leaking into them. She used some of that energy to keep _us_ from getting hurt." Mikami said, in a low firm tone. "She looked prepared to handle the situation before I even said anything and by attracting attention, that meant he was going to kill us. Didn't you hear her? 'I'm surprised he didn't realize I was lying'. She did herself damage to keep _us_ out of _that_ and after what that madman did to her, I'm surprised she could fight back against whoever was coming out of that puddle."

Light opened his mouth to say something and closed his mouth again. He didn't know what to say to that. Mikami was right, which Light didn't care about, but that didn't change that Hotaru had done something that wasn't normal.

"What are you going to do with her in the mean time?" Light asked softly.

"I'm going to take care of her. She'll stay here, with me." Mikami responded. "I know I have a choice in this but I won't give that monster another chance at getting his hands on her. I will _not_ let that bastard get his hands on her again. I'd sooner kill her myself than let her suffer whatever that son of a bitch has planned for her, should he ever get another chance. I won't let him take her. Come Hell, high water or Ryuzaki in a pink ballerina tutu, I'm going to be her protection for as long as I'm able."

The very thought of Ryuzaki in a pink ballerina tutu made Light smile but the image of the said detective _actually_ doing _ballet_ in the damned thing made him snort then crack up, leaning up against the couch for support. While _Ryuzaki_ wouldn't find it amusing, Light could stop _laughing_ at the image in his head.

He was _definitely_ going to have to tell his father _that_ one.

* * *

O.o ...oh, God...I won't be able to get THAT out of my head for a while...will anyone else? XD

Please read and review! I love feed back!


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